November 11, 2022

John Campbell Set to Become New City Councilmember

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John Campbell Poised to Become New Councilmember

BY COLLIN BREAUX

“Cautiously optimistic” is how John Campbell summed up his mood while early election results came in on Tuesday night, Nov. 8.

Campbell was one of the three candidates running for the District 3 seat on the San Juan Capistrano City Council. Based on results available on Thursday morning, Campbell had 51% (1,120) of the votes.

The other two candidates, Paul Lopez and Cody Martin, had 32% (715) and 17% (376) of the votes, respectively.

Current District 3 Councilmember and San Juan Mayor Derek Reeve opted not to run for reelection and is stepping away from the dais after 12 years on the City Council. Reeve instead ran for the South Orange County Community College District Area 4 Trustee seat, which was a neck-and-neck race in early results.

Campbell was at Hennessey’s Tavern in Downtown San Juan on election night, surrounded by city officials and local community fixtures, including Mayor Pro Tem Howard Hart and Planning Commissioner Tami Wilhelm.

“I’ve worked my butt off,” Campbell said. “I’ve done everything I could do.”

Campbell said he was surprised by

how much San Juan citizens knew about what was happening in town and learned how invested they are in their town while on the campaign trail.

He further said he enjoyed meeting such well-informed constituents and learning about their perspectives.

Campbell’s platform included fully funding first responders and law enforcement, finding immediate and long-term solutions to remove homeless people from the city’s streets and fighting against “poorly managed sober living operations” in local neighborhoods.

He has lived in San Juan Capistrano for 16 years with his wife, Hoa, and is the treasurer and a board member for the Camino Real Playhouse.

Martin was watching his race and how 49th Congressional District candidate Brian Maryott fared while in Oceanside on election night. He congratulated Campbell on the victory in a statement issued on Wednesday.

“The residents are in good hands. I look forward to working with you in the future. I would also like to thank Paul Lopez for running. He brought a fresh set of ideas to the table, and I hope he continues to stay involved in our local politics,” Martin said. “Finally, I would like to thank my friends and family for helping me on this journey, and while it’s a minor setback, the next election is four years away and plan on seeing me in the future!”

Martin chairs the city’s Parks, Eques-

Capo Unified Trustees Take No Action on Controversial Charter School Proposal

BY COLLIN BREAUX

The Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees neither outright approved nor denied a petition for California Republic Leadership Academy to open as a new charter school—opening the door for the charter’s petitioners to appeal to the Orange County Board of Education.

The board rendered split votes on Wednesday, Nov. 9—3-3 in each case—on both conditionally approving and denying the charter. Trustees Judy Bullockus, Lisa Davis and Gila Jones favored allowing the charter to go through, provided a memorandum of understanding was reached in which the petitioners met certain conditions requested by the district. Trustees Amy Hanacek, Krista Castellanos and Martha McNicholas

voted to outright deny the charter.

The board is down one member after former Trustee Pamela Braunstein resigned earlier this year over what she said was harassment for her support of COVID-19 restrictions. A special election was held Tuesday to fill the seat, with candidate Michael Parham leading as of press time.

The proposal has drawn backlash from some residents due to concerns the school could take over an existing community campus, as well as diverting funds from traditional public schools. Kevin Pratt, a San Clemente parent who is instrumental in bringing forth the petition, has mentioned looking into using existing campus space at underutilized schools under existing legislation

trian and Community Services Commission and campaigned on working to reduce traffic and congestion, maintaining a balanced city budget and keeping San Juan’s small-town atmosphere.

Lopez spent election night at home with his family.

“It has been a privilege and honor to run for City Council in San Juan Capistrano,” Lopez said on Wednesday morning. “I am proud of all three of us candidates for running positive campaigns that focused solely on our city. I look forward to what the future holds for San Juan Capistrano.”

Lopez is an attorney for a nonprofit

that provides mental health services to underserved communities in Orange County and is the vice-chairperson for the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission.

Ensuring law enforcement and firefighters have resources to keep people safe, working to improve traffic conditions and making sure any local develop ment is responsible and consistent with San Juan’s small-town vibe were key issues mentioned by Lopez during his campaign.

Reeve and Hart have also compliment ed the civil nature of this year’s election. The new District 3 candidate will be sworn in in December.

known as Proposition 39. A list of campuses viewed as having low enrollment provided by Pratt included Marblehead Elementary School in San Clemente.

District officials and staff have said, if Proposition 39 were enacted in this case, the district would need to first do an analysis of available school sites before making any such decision—and that decision would be up to the district.

The potential new school’s curriculum and guidelines would include an emphasis on “servant leadership,” utilizing mentors from the community to work with students, a curriculum that would focus on classical education, requiring students to wear uniforms, not allowing students access to smartphones during the school day, expecting a high level of professional appearance and behavior from teachers and staff, and fostering respect between students and teachers.

An analysis of the charter prepared by district staff recommended denying

the proposal for several reasons, including concerns about negative financial impacts to the district.

“The district would suffer, at a minimum, a financial loss of nearly $3,000,000 in CRLA’s first year of operation if the school opened with 70% in-district students, which is a reasonable assumption based on the percentages of in-district students attending other district-authorized charter schools,” the report said. “That loss would increase from year to year until CRLA reached its enrollment capacity. By the 2026-27 school year, the district would suffer an annual loss of more than $4,800,000.”

The district’s report also said CRLA did not provide a clear description of its educational program, was vague about how intended student mentors would be vetted and trained, and it presented an “unrealistic” financial and operational plan.

Based on early and unofficial election results, John Campbell looks to be the new District 3 City Councilmem ber in San Juan. Photo: Courtesy of John Campbell

San Juan Capistrano Staff Prepares for New City Hall Facility

BY COLLIN BREAUX

This month marks the last one in which the San Juan Capistrano City Council and city staff will work out of the current City Hall Facility, which has been a “temporary” building for decades. A new City Hall facility will eventually replace the current one at Paseo Adelanto. An affordable housing complex with 49 housing units—tailored toward veterans and formerly homeless people looking to get back on their feet—and one unit for on-site management will also be incorporated onto the site, under an agreement reached with Jamboree Housing Corporation.

Community Services Director Matisse Reischl relayed a project update to the City Council on Nov. 1.

“Jamboree is gearing up to take control of the site on December 1 to begin preparations for the project,” Reischl said. “We’ll be moving the City Hall offices to a temporary location in just a couple of weeks.”

That interim location will be at 30448 Rancho Viejo Road. City operations will be one of several tenants in that building.

“The first component of the new City

(Cont. from page 3)

“The charter school’s initial budget assumes that a $600,000 investor loan will be secured,” the report said. “However, at the time of the petitioner interview, it had not been secured, and petitioners have provided the district with no information as to when the investment will materialize. Additionally, CRLA has provided no backup plan for if the loan does not materialize.”

Lead CRLA petitioner Gary Davis— who is also a member of the California Charter Schools Association—issued a response to CUSD’s report, in which he said their findings do “not represent an accurate review of the California Republic Leadership Academy charter petition.”

“Disappointingly, the staff report is founded on speculation, conclusory statements, cynicism, and positions inconsistent with the law, and cites no actual ‘facts’ that could support the denial of the petition,” Davis said. “Thus, under the law, because CRLA has satisfied its statutory obligations, the petition warrants approval.”

Concerns brought up by the district could have been resolved by a collaborative discussion with district staff, and CRLA was disappointed that this option

Hall project will be demolition of the existing building we have here today,” Reischl said. “A new two-story City Hall with administrative offices and 50 units of permanent supportive housing will

be constructed.”

City Council meetings will eventually move to the San Juan Capistrano Community Center at 25925 Camino Del Avion, near Marco Forster Middle School.

“This decision was made given the space limitations of the current City Hall site,” Reischl said. “It would have been cost-prohibitive to go up an additional third story. Likely, had we even done that, the capacity of the City Council chamber may not have been adequate for a larger-type meeting. There’s also ample parking at the Community Center location that’s more beneficial than the parking available here.”

The design phase of the new City Council chamber is currently underway. Staff plans to solicit construction bids and have the City Council approve the final plans and specifications in December or January.

“Expect construction to begin in February 2023, with construction anticipated to be complete in September,” Reischl said.

In the interim during construction, City Council and other city board meetings will be held at the Nydegger Building at 31421 La Matanza Street, near the San Juan Capistrano Library.

The last City Council meeting at the current City Hall site will be held on Monday, Nov. 14, and include a recognition.

Once the new facility is ready, city staff

and other city board meetings—such as the Cultural Heritage Commission—will operate out of the updated site. Construction is expected to begin in January.

“It’s approximately a 24-month construction timeline, with construction anticipated to be complete in January 2025,” Reischl said. “The public counter construction and IT infrastructure installation is currently underway at the (temporary) site. From November 17 to November 20 is when the physical move will actually take place. November 17, current City Hall will be open for business. We’ll be doing some preliminary packing.”

The current City Hall site will be closed the next day on Friday, Nov. 18, for the move. The temporary City Hall site will then open on Monday, Nov. 21.

Councilmember John Taylor thanked staff for bringing the long-awaited move to life.

“This finally happened. It’s going to be amazing,” Taylor said. “I’m super-excited to be a part of this historical event. I still can’t even believe it’s going through.”

Mayor Derek Reeve said he remembers having meetings 12 years ago about moving City Hall somewhere else.

“We’ve had meetings where—although it’s been really boring the past four years—(there’s been) some pretty raucous events,” Reeve said. “I’m really excited.”

was not presented by the district, Davis said.

Davis further said the district’s claim that CRLA’s opening would cause a financial impact is “not credible.”

“Indeed, the district’s 2022-23 approved budget projected in excess of $450 million in unrestricted revenue and an unrestricted ending fund balance reserve of $72.2 million, constituting a 16% reserve,” Davis said. “Thus, even in an unrealistic worst-case scenario, the charter school’s first year impact would affect only 4% of funds in reserve and would not undermine existing services.”

Philippa Townsend, assistant superintendent of fiscal services for CUSD, said while they do “have a lot of money in our fund balance, our reserves,” they must have a reserve for emergencies and cash flow.

“Also, money is in the reserve pending decisions by the board on programs they want to implement,” Townsend said. “To say we have money in the reserve and that a loss of $20 million would not affect the district is actually not correct, because the board has not fully decided how to spend that money yet.”

Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte said when the school district goes through the charter petition process

and gives feedback, “ideally,” petitioners would take the feedback, revise the charter and then turn it back in.

“Charters were designed to serve underrepresented communities. There’s all this charter history and, at the end of the day, it’s turned into this—from my perspective—a political (issue) instead of, what is the theory of action and the program for children?” Brulte said. “By law, you have to do one of these things but, in the ideal, charters would revise to get to the standards by which the district is saying this is what’s needed in Capistrano Unified School District.”

Jones said she believes the petitioners are completely “sincere and honest” in their desire to create the school. Some of the district staff’s concerns could be easi ly addressed, while other concerns are not so easily addressed, she said.

“The accusation is made, not in so many words, that we’re not being open-minded about a different kind of school and that we have this not-invent ed-here attitude … and I understand that, but there’s still what the staff points out as a confusion between curriculum and instruction.” Jones said. “I do understand what that means, and I think that is not something that is easily addressed. I think that would be a major change to

the charter petition. I would welcome the petitioners coming back and defining that, because it is tremendously vague by our standards in this district.”

Jones also said taking responsibility overseeing the charter costs the district money.

“I think (district) staff has done amazing work. I understand why (CRLA) wants to be in our school district. We have an amazing school district with great kids,” Hanacek said. “This is always humbling—the amount of expertise you need to move kids forward—so I’m very appreciative of our staff’s time, superintendent’s leadership on this.”

Parents at Wednesday’s meeting variously spoke for and against approving CRLA’s petition. Parents in favor of the charter cited the desire for school choice, while those against it were wary of a potential takeover of the Marblehead campus and the school instituting a religious curriculum.

Pratt denied the school would have religious instruction.

CRLA now has the option of appealing to the Orange County Board of Education, which is generally pro-charter schools. However, Hanacek noted that OCBE denied a previous charter appeal also initially brought forth in CUSD.

City Hall facility on Paseo Adelanto will be demolished and a new facility will be built in its place. Photo: File

NEWS BITES

COMPILED BY STAFF

CD | Local Latino Musician Drops New Single, Racks Up YouTube Views

Back in 2021, local Latino musician Jorge Ramirez released his first solo single on YouTube called “Me Importas.”

On Oct. 28, Ramirez dropped another new song, this time called “Si Estuvieras Conmingo.” The release includes a music video that he filmed in Mexico.

The song is another romantic tune and tells the story of a guy who yearns for a woman being mistreated in another relationship. The narrator is telling the woman if she were his, things would be different.

The new release is actually a cover of a 1990 song by Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres and was a tune Ramirez had listened to constantly while growing up with his family, a song they played while cleaning up their house on the weekends.

As Ramirez turned older, he understood what the lyrics meant.

“It’s really romantic,” he said. “I decided to record it, because it’s a real nice song, and it’s nostalgic and reminds me of my childhood.”

Ramirez grew up in San Clemente and now lives in San Juan Capistrano. He sings and plays trumpet in Mariachi Nuevo Capistrano, a San Juan-based mariachi band that frequently performs in the community.

Though Ramirez’s previous recordings as a solo artist were Mexican and big band music, the cover of “Si Estuvieras Conmingo” is his first solo mariachi recording.

Ramirez was able to put his own spin on the song after contacting a producer in Los Angeles and eventually getting some studio time. There were nights when Ramirez would get to the studio at 9 p.m., get back home at 3 in the morning and have to go to school that same day.

“I went and started laying down some vocals,” Ramirez said. “The whole process was long and tedious. It took a year and a half (to record).”

Despite the long and arduous experience, Ramirez said covering the song was fun and interesting.

Ramirez’s continuing efforts on his musical career come as his musical releases on YouTube have attracted more than 30,000 views. His music is also avail able on streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Ramirez said his success has been a “blessing” and proof that hard work does pay off. His inner kid is happy that he

pursued his passion and is gradually getting recognition, he said.

“I’m really excited and blessed,” Ramirez added. “I never thought I would reach over 30,000 views on YouTube.”

As for what’s ahead, Ramirez wants to keep making more music and eventually work on an album.

CD | Boy Scouts Troop Hopes to Brighten Marines’ Christmas with Holiday Cards

Boy Scouts Troop 12 in San Juan Capistrano has started a special holiday project called “Operation Christmas Card” for the Dark Horse Battalion 3/5 at Camp Pendleton.

“The Scouts are going out and getting kids, students, moms and dads, work people and grandparents to write a quick note of thanks and wishing the Marine who receives the card a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” a news release said. “Some are actually drawing pictures and writing witty poems.”

In cooperation with stores, restaurants and coffee shops, Troop 12 is also offering coupons and food gift cards for Marines.

“We still need a lot of help on the gift cards,” the news release said. “Troop 12 is asking if anyone wants to help out, do a Christmas card and stick a gift card in it and drop it off at Capistrano Valley Christian School at 32032 Del Obispo Street in San Juan Capistrano.”

Troop 12 is hoping to get the cards to the Marines by the first week of December.

CD | Rotary Club of SJC Plans to Distribute Thanksgiving Meals to Marine and Needy Families

The Rotary Club of San Juan Capistrano is continuing their mission of doing good deeds.

The organization will gather more than 100 Thanksgiving dinners for Camp Pendleton Marine families and local residents in need on Nov. 19, the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

“The meals will be assembled from food donations provided by generous grocery shoppers at Vons, Irvine Ranch Market, Albertsons, and Ralphs in and around San Juan Capistrano,” a news release said.“As shoppers enter the store, they will be hand ed a ‘Need List’ to help them choose items while shopping for their own families. As shoppers leave, the donated food items will be dropped off at a collection table.”

Rotarians will then box up the meals and distribute them at the Rotary Scout Hut in San Juan Capistrano.

CD | New Names to Be Added to Wall of Recognition

Equestrian Julie Ryan Johnson, Cultural Heritage Commissioner and Coffee Chat regular Ann Ronan, and longtime community resident and volunteer Gerald “Jerry” Muir will be added to the San Juan Capistrano Wall of Recognition.

The City Council approved the nominees on Nov. 1. The Wall of Recognition is on display at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center and intended to

COMMUNITY MEETINGS

MONDAY, NOV. 14

City Council

5 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano City Council will hold a scheduled meeting open to the public. It will be the last City Council meeting in the current City Hall facility and include a farewell ceremony in recognition. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. sanjuancapistrano.org.

FRIDAY, NOV. 18

Coffee Chat

8:30 a.m. A town hall forum on community issues. The first Friday session of the month will be held virtually via Zoom video conference; all other Friday forums will take place in person at Hennessey’s Tavern in San Juan Capistrano, 31761 Camino Capistrano. Follow Coffee Chat SJC on Facebook for information.

FRIDAY, NOV. 25

The next print issue of The Capistrano Dispatch publishes.

honor residents who have made a substantial and positive impact on the town.

Johnson founded the San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition 20 years ago and advocates for keeping horse riding a fundamental aspect of San Juan. She was nominated by numerous residents, including Kathy Holman and Harrison Taylor.

Ronan is a local docent, travel adviser and board member for the San Juan Cap istrano Historical Society and San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library. She was nominated by Mayor Derek Reeve.

Muir, who has lived in San Juan since 1978, is 78 years old and volunteered in the community in numerous ways, including as an adviser to the city’s Youth Advisory Board, with the San Juan Capistrano Skate Park Coalition and as a member of city commissions. He was nominated by numerous residents, including Erica Delamare and Fiesta Association President Jim Taylor.

“Jerry has been involved intimately with the City of San Juan Capistrano for many years. He has been instrumental in shaping the lives of our future generations through the Youth Advisory Board,” Taylor said in his nomination letter. “My experience with Jerry has been primarily with Goin’ Native and its associated events. He is a tireless worker, a visionary, mentor and has integrity to spare.”

An official ceremony to add the new names to the wall will likely be held early next year.

Local singer Jorge Ramirez is continuing to release new music online and is gradually getting views on YouTube for his music videos. Photo: Courtesy of Miguel Vasquez Photography

Californians Largely Support Props 1, 28 & 31

BY SHAWN RAYMUNDO

Proposition 1, the state ballot measure that looks to enshrine in California’s constitution that women have the right to an abortion and contraception, is on track to pass with 65% of voters approving it, according to the latest results from the Secretary of State’s office.

The measure followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision this past June to overturn Roe v. Wade—the long-standing SCOTUS ruling that found the U.S. Constitutional protection to privacy included the right to an abortion.

By amending the state’s constitution under the measure, proponents have stated, it would unquestionably protect a person’s right to an abortion without leaving the law and court rulings up to interpretation.

According to the same results, Californians voted to pass Propositions 28 and 31 with a 61.6% and 62.3% majority, respectively.

Under Prop 28, the measure to provide additional funding for public schools’ arts and music education, K-12 public school arts education programs would receive an established amount of funding from the pool of funds previously created through Proposition 98 in 1988. That original proposition guaranteed

either a minimum of 40% of the General Fund on K-14 education, or a minimum guarantee based on student attendance and change in cost of living.

Prop 28 would guarantee a minimum of 1% of that funding would go specifically toward arts education programs. Proposition 28 would reportedly increase state costs by $800 million to $1 billion annually.

With Prop 31 expected to pass, the State Senate bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in 2020 to ban the sale of

Michael Parham Has Strong Showing in Unofficial Special Capo Unified Trustee Election Results

BY COLLIN BREAUX

As of late Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 9, Michael Parham was the top vote-getter in the specially called Area 2 election for the Capistrano Unified School District’s Board of Trustees.

While results remain unofficial, Parham had 44.65% (6,519) of the votes. His opponent, Kira Davis, had 41.12% (6,003) of the votes.

Jessica Hubbard was also listed on the ballot and had 14.23% (2,077) of the votes, though she announced beforehand that she had dropped out of the race and would instead be voting for Parham.

Parham declined to comment on the results on Wednesday morning. Davis

had not responded to a request for comment, as of press time.

A Special Election for Area 2 was called after former Trustee Pamela Braunstein resigned earlier this year because of what she said was harassment for her support of COVID-19 restrictions in schools. Area 2 covers Ladera Ranch.

Parham lives in Rancho Mission Viejo, is a father of four children, advised companies as an investment banker and CPA and previously served on the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education for 12 years. He was endorsed by the Capistrano Unified Education Association, the local teachers union.

Parham’s campaign emphasized building better dialogue between the district

most flavored tobacco products would officially become law. After Senate Bill 793 was signed, opponents pushed for the referendum, allowing Californians to decide whether the ban should go into effect or to overturn the policy.

Also on the ballot this year were two measures, Propositions 26 and 27, related to sports gambling. Neither measure is likely to pass, based on the unofficial results from Thursday morning, Nov. 10, with Prop 27, in particular, being rejected by an overwhelming 83.3% of voters.

Prop 26 proposed allowing in-person sports wagering at Native American casinos on professional, college or amateur athletic events. It also proposed to enact a 10% tax on the profits received from sports betting at racetracks to fund prob lem gambling prevention and mental health initiatives, enforcement, as well as the General Fund.

Prop 27 looked to make California the latest state to allow online or mobile betting on sporting events. Under the measure, it would have authorized gaming tribes and online sports betting or qualified gaming companies with agreements with gaming tribes to operate online sports betting outside Native American lands.

In what was now the third attempt in as many General Elections to add more oversight at dialysis clinics in California, Proposition 29 again failed to get enough support from voters, with a majority of them, nearly 70%, rejecting it, the latest results showed.

California’s voters also rejected, with 59.1% of the vote, Proposition 30, which looked to increase the income tax on millionaires to fund a clean air trust that would be divided into sub-funds.

Portions of the coffers would have gone into an investment plan for zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, the Zero-Emission Vehicle and Clean Mobility Sub-Fund, and the Wildfire Green House Gas Emissions Reduction Sub-Funds.

Opponents of Prop 30 had argued that the taxes raised would only benefit special interests, including those of supporting corporation Lyft. CD

don’t currently have COVID restrictions in place. She also lives in Ladera Ranch, is a mother of two children and writes for RedState, a conservative outlet.

Parham has said he is against vaccine requirements.

Two other seats, Area 4 and Area 7, were also up for election on the Board of Trustees. Area 4 covers Laguna Niguel, and Area 7 includes Mission Viejo.

Gary Pritchard had the most votes as of Wednesday afternoon in Area 4, with 49.64% (6,689) of the votes. The other candidates, Jim Glantz and Darin Patel, had 41.63% (5,609) and 8.73% (1,176) of the votes, respectively.

and parents and developing more credibility with the public if it wants to get support for bond measures that would fund facility upgrades at Dana Hills High School and other campuses.

Davis’ platform had been staunchly anti-COVID restrictions, particularly mask requirements, and advocated for parents being able to make decisions for their children. Capo Unified schools

Current Area 4 Trustee and Board President Martha McNicholas previously announced she would not be running for reelection but would continue advocating for local schools, including Dana Hills High.

In Area 7, incumbent Trustee Judy Bullockus held on to her lead at 55.31% (7,486) of the votes. Her challenger, Jeanette Contreras, had 44.69% (6,049) of the votes. CD

Michael Parham

Dozens of demonstrators gather on the corner of Avenida Del Mar and El Camino Real on June 28 to protest the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade Photo: Breeana Greenberg

Davies Stays Ahead of Duncan in Race for 74th Assembly Seat

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

In the race to represent California’s 74th Assembly District, Republican incumbent Laurie Davies looks to keep her seat as she leads against her Democratic opponent, San Clemente Mayor Pro Tem Chris Duncan.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 9, unofficial results from the California Secretary of State showed Davies holding onto the lead with 54.1% (58,114) of the votes, while Duncan reportedly had 45.9% (49,247) of the votes.

“I feel so grateful, because it looks obviously that I’ve taken this seat, and I’m so grateful that I have the opportunity

to serve for another two years,” Davies said on Wednesday morning. “There’s so much that we can do, working across the aisle, a lot of good for this state. So, that’s what I’m really excited about.”

Davies added that she’s looking forward to continuing her work on battling the illicit use of fentanyl and those who deal the drug. She also hopes to see an audit of state programs to ensure taxpayer dollars are well spent.

“We have so much of our taxpayer dollars going towards homelessness,

Nguyen Commands Sizeable Lead; Blakespear Faces Tighter Race Against Gunderson in State Senate Elections

BY COLLIN BREAUX

Based on unofficial results from this week’s Midterm Elections, representation in the California State Senate for the tri-city area of San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano may either be split between a Republican and Democrat or totally under the GOP.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 9, Republican Janet Nguyen led District 36, which represents San Clemente and Dana Point, with 58.3% (131,167) of the votes. Democrat Catherine Blakespear, meanwhile, faced a tight race in District 38—which covers San Juan Capistrano and unincorporated Rancho Mission Viejo—with 50.3% (108,548) of the votes.

Blakespear is currently the Encinitas mayor, while Nguyen is a state assemblymember. Democrat Kim Carr challenged Nguyen in District 36, while Republican Matt Gunderson ran against Blakespear in District 38.

“Right now, I’m only about 1,000 votes ahead of my opponent,” Blakespear said in a campaign email sent on Wednes-

day morning. “Over 200,000 votes have been counted in the State Senate race so far, and anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 ballots are expected to be counted in the coming weeks. So, until we have a clearer picture, this race is still too close to call.”

In an earlier statement sent on Tuesday night, shortly after early results came in, Blakespear said she had a lead “we feel very comfortable with.”

“We always knew this would be a close election, so it’s imperative that everyone who braved the weather and made it to the polls has their voice heard,” Blakespear said, referring to the storm surge that hit Southern California on Election Day. “We expect that when all the votes are counted, we will be victorious.”

Supporting women’s reproductive rights and protecting communities from gun violence were parts of Blakespear’s platform. She also said she would champion small businesses, protect California’s natural resources,

going towards these other programs, but we’re not seeing any results,” Davies said. “We need to sit down and really look at where these programs are … review them, if they’re working, great; if not, then we need to let them go so that we can make sure that every tax dollar is being counted and used positively.”

During her first term representing the Assembly district, Davies prided herself on her level of communication with her constituents.

“I made it an important point to make sure that folks that I represented knew what was going on at the state level; they knew what bills were going up there, they knew where I was going to vote, they understood how this was going to affect their safety, their businesses, schools, things like that,” Davies said.

Unofficial results late Tuesday night initially showed Duncan ahead of Davies. However, speaking with The Capistrano Dispatch that evening, she noted that during the Primary Election, polls had shown Duncan initially leading that race as well, but by the following morning, the tides had turned in her favor.

At the time he was leading on Tuesday, Duncan said he was “feeling cautiously optimistic.”

“This is uncertain as to how the votes are going to come in, so we’re still waiting to see the next batch of votes,” he said.

Wednesday morning, Duncan said it was too early to discuss plans after the election should Davies win, but added, “I will certainly be active, involved in our community here and continuing to help improve people’s lives.”

“I’m very grateful for all of our supporters for putting us in this position to be so close and feeling great about our campaign,” Duncan continued. “We are trailing, but there’s a lot of ballots out there still.”

Based on campaign finance filings, or 460 Forms, with the California Secretary of State’s office—which covered all contributions and campaign expenditures up until Oct. 22—Duncan had raised about $517,450, slightly more than Davies’ $511,149.

As of late October, Duncan had outspent Davies by roughly $87,000. On their respective 460 forms, Duncan reported spending roughly $629,000 on his campaign, while Davies spent roughly $542,000.

The California Secretary of State is scheduled to certify the results from across the state by Dec. 16. CD

Californians who trusted me with their vote.”

“I will continue to advocate for an affordable, safe and golden California,” Gunderson said.

Gunderson was an auto industry business owner and said one of the reasons he ran was because of Californians facing issues with the cost of living. Addressing homelessness through solutions that examine individual-level causes of the issue and returning economic opportunities back to the middle class were part of his platform.

and ensure a clean, reliable water supply for the state.

Kevin Sabellico, Blakespear’s campaign manager, said on Tuesday night that she was hopeful that when all the ballots were counted, she will be elected to the California State Senate.

“Our campaign will have a robust voter protection team ready (Wednesday) to make sure every legally cast ballot gets counted,” Sabellico said.

Gunderson had 49.7% (107,358) of votes as of Wednesday afternoon. He and his campaign had called the election a “very close race” and said they were “closely monitoring the results” as they came in.

“I feel confident that the results will go our way when the counting is through,” Gunderson said.

He further said he was “honored” to have received so much support from family, friends and “the thousands of

Nguyen and Carr had not responded to requests for comment, as of press time.

As an assemblymember, Nguyen touted her experience with helping pass legislation to expand health care for the homeless, mentally ill and for lower-income families. She also highlighted efforts to stop tax increases and write bipartisan legislation to increase a renters’ tax credit to help families deal with the high cost of living.

Carr has been on the Huntington Beach City Council since 2018 and emphasized her efforts to respond to the 2021 oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach.

If elected, Carr said she would fight inflation by fixing supply chains and cutting red tape for local businesses, reduce homelessness by increasing mental health and housing support, and defend reproductive freedom and the right of all people to control their bodies. CD

Laurie Davies

(Left) Janet Nguyen (Right) Catherine Blakespear

Levin Maintains Narrow Lead in Congressional Rematch

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH

In the follow-up of the 2020 battle to represent California’s 49th Congressional District in the House of Representatives, incumbent Democrat Mike Levin appeared poised to hold on to the seat, but in a much tighter race compared to his previous matchup against Republican challenger Brian Maryott.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 9, Levin had received 51.1% (89,804) of the votes, holding a 2.2% lead over Maryott (86,091), a former San Juan Capistrano councilmember, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

Levin’s lead was much greater in San Diego County’s portion of the district, where he had earned 55.63% (59,655) of voters. As for the Orange County side of

the 49th, Maryott was the clear favorite, owning about a 12% advantage by earning 56.08% (38,503) of the votes.

The 49th District includes the cities of Carlsbad, Dana Point, Encinitas, Laguna Niguel, Oceanside, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, and Vista, among other locations in South Orange County, and North San Diego County.

Levin and Maryott had faced each other for the seat in 2020, when Levin won the district with 53.1% of the vote.

Levin, who has held office for backto-back two-year terms, has expressed support for women’s reproductive rights, such as the ability to choose to have an abortion, keeping taxpayer dollars away from private schools, and supporting law enforcement.

Mike Levin

Maryott, a longtime businessman, has expressed support for school choice, fully funding police officers and strict sentencing of lawbreakers, as well as securing the border by funding border enforcement.

In an emailed statement late Tuesday night, Maryott’s camp maintained that voters were ready to move on from Levin as their representative.

“We are certainly optimistic, and this

is exactly what we expected to see,” the spokesperson wrote while Levin, at the time, held a double-digit lead, adding: “It may take a few days, but when the dust settles, we expect that the voters of (the 49th District) will send a financial planner to Congress.”

In the Primary Election held this past June to determine who would make it on to the ballot for the Nov. 8 General Election, Levin carried the district race, earning 92,211 votes, or 48.9%, with Maryott leading a contested vote among Republicans by receiving 35,805, or 19% of all voters.

According to the OC Registrar of Voters, 42.6% of Orange County voters chose Levin during the Primary, while Maryott narrowly beat out Fifth District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett by three votes to earn a spot on Tuesday’s ballot.

Levin’s campaign had not been reached for comment as of press time.

Election results will be updated throughout the canvass period, according to the Secretary of State’s website, and county elections officials must report their final results by Dec. 9. Next, the Secretary of State will put together the results to certify by Dec. 16. CD

Foley Holds Lead Against Bates in 5th District Supervisor Race

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

Democratic incumbent Katrina Foley is on track to hold her seat as she is still leading against her Republican opponent, State Sen. Patricia Bates, in the tight race to represent Orange County’s 5th Supervisorial District.

Unofficial results from the Orange County Registrar of Voters as of late Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 9, showed Foley with 51.02% (76,591) of the votes, while Bates, a former board supervisor, had 48.98% (73,537) of the votes.

“I’m so grateful to my community of volunteers and the coalition of unlikely allies that I brought together to be able to show Orange County that we can really lead and represent all residents,” Foley said late Tuesday night, when she led by a wider margin.

The race tightened as the votes con-

tinued to be counted through Election Night and the following morning, with unofficial results earlier in the evening showing Foley ahead of Bates with 56.63% of the vote, putting Bates at 43.37%.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters was scheduled to post updated results on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 10, after The Capistrano Dispatch went to print. Updates to this story and The Dispatch’s ongoing coverage of other local Midterm Elections will continue to be posted online.

Anticipating a win, Foley said that South Orange County residents are going to “have a representative that’s very active and responsive and is going to immediately drill down on some of the lingering issues that I know have been trouble for the community.”

Looking forward to a potential second term representing South Orange County, Foley highlighted coastal erosion—namely, its effects on the railroad tracks—fire mitigation and issues

related to homelessness as main topics on which she’d like to focus.

As of press time, Bates had not responded to requests for comment.

In the lead-up to the race, Foley and Bates had cumulatively spent $1.35 million in the race for the District 5 seat.

In the race for the District 4 seat between Sunny Park and incumbent Board Supervisor Doug Chaffee, the two collectively had spent more than $1.62 million, while candidates in the District 2 race—Vicente Sarmiento and Kim Bernice Nguyen—collectively had spent $474,405.

Based on the latest campaign finance filings, or 460 Forms, with the California Secretary of State’s office— which covered all contributions and campaign expenditures up until Oct. 22—Bates had raised about $688,607, slightly more than Foley’s $665,695.

As of late October, Foley had outspent Bates by roughly $76,000. On their respective 460 forms, Foley report ed spending roughly $734,908 on her campaign, while Bates spent roughly $658,958.

County elections officials across the state are expected to certify all election results by Dec. 8. CD

Katrina Foley

WELCOME

TO MONEY MATTERS

Understanding how to manage your finances has never been more important than now, as interest rates continue to climb and economists and financial experts continue to warn of a looming recession by next year.

Despite evidence of a strong labor market in the latest jobs report, heads of major corporations are still talking about the potential for a recession as a direct result of rising prices and fewer sales.

Those fears of an economic downturn only worsened after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates again in an attempt to tamp down on inflation.

To help give you some peace of mind as you continue to navigate through these uncertain economic times, we turned to the experts for our “Money Matters” special section.

In this year’s guide, you’ll hear from the Kanani Advisory Group on how to make sure your retirement investments are secure by avoiding certain pitfalls.

Also, Insurance 101 Services offers its insights on how Medicare beneficiaries can save money on their co-pays or monthly premiums.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 changes the rules for clean vehicle tax credit eligibility in 2023. This effort to reduce carbon emissions is seen as an investment in the energy security of the United States and can also be your investment into lowering your taxes. For the latest information, visit irs.gov.

ADVERTORIAL | BY STEPHANIE FRISCH, INSURANCE 101 SERVICES

MEDICARE ANNUAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD

Calling all existing Medicare Beneficiaries, are you looking to save some money on either your monthly premiums, your co-pays, or your prescription drug co-pays? Then the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is the time for you to make a change to your current plan.

All changes made during this time (10/15 – 12/7) go into effect 1/1/23. The biggest way to save money is to see if a Medicare Advantage plan would work for you.

If it does meet your needs, then you cancel your Medicare Supplement and Medicare Drug plan for 2023

because the Medicare Advantage plan gives you that type of coverage and financial protection from medical bills. You’re no longer paying a premium for Medicare Supplement or a Medicare RX plan if you decide to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

These plans in Orange County typically have no or low premiums and are both HMO’s and PPO’s.

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (also known as AEP) ends December 7th, if you’d like to schedule a no cost Medicare options review contact me soon, my calendar is filling up!

RMV Turkey Trot Allows Runners to Burn Off Thanksgiving Calories

Ggo for a run or walk.

That won’t be the case in Rancho Mission Viejo, though, during the community’s annual Turkey Trot on the Ranch.

The event will happen as usual on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24. In addition to a 5K and Little Gobbler’s 1K Run (the latter geared toward younger participants), there will also be a 10K.

“We are very excited for this year’s Turkey Trot on The Ranch,” RMV Vice President of Community Services Amaya Genaro said. “We have gotten great responses so far on the 10K, with many people already signed up. As with past runs, we’ll continue to see more people sign up for all three races over the next few weeks.”

The 10K will include the new extension to the Ranch’s Class I bikeway trail that “celebrates the scenic pathways between the villages of Sendero and Esencia, as well as the newest Village of Rienda,” Genaro added.

“The Turkey Trot on The Ranch has become a family tradition, and residents voted to keep the race on Thanksgiving Day so they can continue to share this experience with family and friends,” Genaro said. “It is also an outward

expression of many of The Ranch’s wellness attributes that include prioritizing an active lifestyle and connecting neighbors to one another and to the great outdoors, all while celebrating the beauty of the land.”

Over the years, the Turkey Trot has raised almost $100,000 for programs that help educate the public about The Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo. Additionally, funds raised have helped support The Nature Reserve’s school

NOVEMBER 13

Naturalist Training Course on Oaks

8-11 a.m. Ever wondered how an oak becomes the tree it is? Come out to the great outdoors of Rancho Mission Viejo to learn about oaks at The Nature Reserve. The study session will be held under a 500-yearold oak at the Richard and Donna O’Neill Conservancy. A similar event teaching how to identify native plants will be held on Nov. 19. Cost is $15.

Sign up at thenaturereserve.org.

programs, which reach 4,500 students.

“Much more than a variety of races, this special event brings people together and gets everyone into the holiday spirit with an opportunity to give back,” Genaro said.

Registration costs are $45 for the 10K, $35 for the 5K and $15 for the 1K. Start times for the races vary, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

To sign up or for more information, visit turkeytrotontheranch.com. CD

Before they sit down at the table for a Thanksgiving feast, Turkey Trot on the Ranch participants will be running throughout Rancho Mission Viejo. Photos: Courtesy of Rancho Mission Viejo

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 thecapistranodispatch.com

CITY EDITOR

Collin Breaux • 949.388.7700, x109 cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com

SPORTS

Zach Cavanagh • 949.388.7700, x110 zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com

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Debra Wells • 949.388.7700, x104 debra@wellsadsolutions.com

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Inna Cazares • 949.388.7700, x111 icazares@picketfencemedia.com

GENERAL MANAGER

Alyssa Garrett • 949.388.7700, x100 agarrett@picketfencemedia.com

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 20, Issue 21. The Dispatch (thecapistranodispatch) is published twice monthly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (danapointtimes.com) and the SC Times (sanclementetimes. com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art,

FOLLOW THE CAPO DISPATCH

DiCostanzo

John Berney Is a Local Equestrian, Through & Through M

eet the San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition’s President, John Henry Berney. This longtime San Juan Capistrano resident has been advocating for the preservation of the equestrian lifestyle he grew up with so that future generations could enjoy the same pleasures. John serves as a liaison from the equestrian businesses to the Chamber of Commerce as a board member. John also works to preserve local horse shows by serving on the board of Orange County Horse Show Association.

Berney’s equestrian roots in San Juan go back decades. As a young boy, he started riding Western and bareback at the old Smith Stables in Capistrano Beach. In the early 1970s, he transitioned to English at Coto de Caza and at the boarding stables run by his older sister in San Juan Capistrano.

Now, as a professional, he runs a hunter/jumper barn out of Rancho Sierra Vista Equestrian Center in San Juan Capistrano. Berney is grateful for how “horses have impacted him as a person and as a professional.”

He comments, “They’ve given me a career and my own business that I’ve built around my love of horses and the sport. Horses also have allowed me to further connect with the San Juan Capistrano community.”

His advice for getting started with the horses?

“For those interested in getting involved with horses, I suggest spectating at horse shows at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park and looking online at local programs and stables. Find a few trainers whose programs align with your goals and budget, then meet them in person and maybe take a few lessons. The social aspect can be just as important as riding instruction, so be sure to choose a barn that has other riders close in age and with similar goals as you. Another great way to get involved is to become a member of the San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition to stay up to date on events and news in the community.”

He urges those who admire horses to “get involved and support equestrian advocacy groups, like the San Juan

Capistrano Equestrian Coalition” and “attend the Parks, Equestrian, and Community Services Commission meetings and advocate at City Council meetings when there are equestrian-related agendas.”

Jessica DiCostanzo is a San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition Board Member, lifelong equestrian, and co-founder of equivont.com. CD

PLEASE NOTE: In

CORRECTION: An article on page 3 of The Capistrano Dispatch’s Oct. 28 edition reported on the Capistrano Unified School District’s review of a proposed charter school and the recommendation for the Board of Trustees to deny the charter’s petition. The story misidentified information from the report related to the number of signatures collected in support of the petition. CUSD in its report did not include any finding regarding the petition’s required signatures.

San Juan Capistrano equestrian John Berney has a well-known love of horse riding and encourages others to get in

with the Equestrian Coalition if they want to take up the activity. Photo: Courtesy of John Berney

GUEST OPINION | A Little Bit About San Juan by Jessica

The List

What’s going on in and around town this week

THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

FRIDAY | 11

Editor’s Pick

4-7 p.m. Get the holiday season started by painting a seasonal nutcracker figure. Artist Martha Cowan will guide this workshop, which is tailored to people who have never painted before. Cost is $75 and includes materials. Tapas food and beverages will also be available for purchase. Inn at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26907 Old Mission Road, San Juan Capistrano. 949.503.5700. eventbrite.com.

FRIDAY | 18

LIVE

MUSIC AT TREVOR’S

7 p.m. Eat some food, grab a drink and unwind while listening to live music at Trevor’s at the Tracks. Selly and the Stray will perform. Trevor’s at the Tracks, 26701 Verdugo Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.9593. trevorsatthetracks.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT STILLWATER

LIVE

MUSIC AT SAN JUAN HILLS GOLF CLUB

6:30-9:30 p.m. Chris Daniels Project will perform. Stop in to listen and dance, perhaps after playing a round of golf. San Juan Hills Golf Club, 555 North El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.565.4855. sanjuanhillsgolf.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT PADDY’S

8-11 p.m. British Invasion will perform. Enjoy the music and have a pint at this downtown pub. Paddy’s Station, 26701 Verdugo Street, Suite B, San Juan Capistrano. 949.661.3400. paddysstation.com.

SATURDAY | 12

SUP YOGA IN DANA POINT HARBOR

8-9:30 a.m. iHeartYoga has partnered with Westwind Sailing to offer a unique 90-minute paddle and yoga workshop. The first 30 minutes of the class is spent paddling, and the rest is an actual yoga practice on the board. This workshop is for all skill levels. Dana Point Harbor, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. iheartyoga.org.

FALL CRAFT MARKET

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Check out the candles, jewelry and other craft items on sale during this autumn market show. Artists and authors will also have works for sale. Farmakis Farms, 29932 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.364.1270. farmakisfarms.com.

BREWHOUSE 8TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Noon-9 p.m. Come order some drinks and enjoy live entertainment to help The BrewHouse celebrate turning 8 years old. Gie Few will play from 1:302:30 p.m., and Kids of Charlemagne

FRIDAY | 11 VETERANS DAY CEREMONY

11 a.m. American Legion Post 721 is hosting a Veterans Day ceremony to honor those who’ve served in the military. San Juan Capistrano Mayor Pro Tem Howard Hart, who was a Navy captain and in the Pentagon on 9/11, will be the keynote speaker. Free lunch will be served after the ceremony while supplies last. Veterans Park, 31852 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

will perform from 3-5 p.m. There will be a special list of brews on tap and raffle prizes. There is no cover charge, but the event is for people 21 and older, so don’t bring the kids. The BrewHouse, 31896 Plaza Drive, Suite D3, San Juan Capistrano. 949.481.6181. brewhousesjc.com.

STAND-UP COMEDY

7:30 p.m. Have some laughs during this stand-up comedy show. Jim Taylor, Don Friesen, Mary Gallagher and Jeff Zaret will perform. Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.8082. caminorealplayhouse.org.

SUNDAY | 13

OTRA MAS FUNDRAISER

1-4 p.m. Members of American Legion Post 281 will be on hand for this Top Gun-themed event, which is raising funds for San Juan Capistrano-based equine therapy nonprofit Otra Mas. There will be wine, entertainment and more. Bistro K, 30100 Town Center Drive, Laguna Niguel. lnpost281.org.

MILPA MUSIC FESTIVAL 1-7 p.m. Relax with some mellow music while learning about farming and enjoying the outdoors. There will be food, interactive art projects, crafts and more. The festival will also be held

on Saturday, Nov. 12. Check online for ticket prices. The Ecology Center, 32701 Alipaz Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.443.4223. theecologycenter.org.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT SWALLOW’S

2-6 p.m. Put on your cowboy hat and boots and get ready to enjoy all the Western-style fun at one of San Juan Capistrano’s best-known dive bars and country music spots. Sean Oilu & The Coastline Cowboys will perform at the venue for the first time. Swallow’s Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. swallowsinn.com.

MONDAY | 14

BRIDGE GAME

12:30 p.m. The South Orange County Bridge Club hosts bridge games, Monday through Saturday. The club is a nonprofit owned by the members and welcomes people to use their minds and develop new friendships. They also offer classes for bridge players of different levels. 31461 Rancho Viejo Road, Suite 205, San Juan Capistrano. galesenter@cox.net.

TUESDAY | 15

PAINT A NUTCRACKER WITH ARTIST MARTHA COWAN

9 p.m. Live music is featured at this popular South Orange County venue. Straight 78, a ’70s funk, soul and R&B band, will perform. StillWater Spirits & Sounds, 24701 Del Prado, Dana Point. 949.661.6003. danapointstillwater.com.

SATURDAY | 19

LOW-COST PET VACCINE CLINIC 4-5:30 p.m. Pets Plus San Juan Capistrano is offering this clinic. There will be discounted vaccination packages, microchips, physical exams, prescription flea control, fecal exams and diagnostic testing available on-site. No appointment needed, and walk-ins are welcome. All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier. Pets Plus San Juan Capistrano, 32022 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 800.988.8387. vetcarepetclinic.com.

CONCERT

AT THE COACH HOUSE

8 p.m. Live music is featured at this popular South Orange County venue. The musical faceoff show, Beatles vs. Stones—which pays tribute to the classic British bands—will perform. Tickets are $25. Doors open at 6 p.m. The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.496.8930. thecoachhouse.com.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

GHOST

WALK

8 p.m. Learn about the eerie history of San Juan Capistrano as you walk through the downtown area and near Mission San Juan Capistrano. The walk is hosted by Haunted Orange County. Attendees are asked to meet at the visitor’s information booth near the train tracks. 26701 Verdugo Street, San Juan Capistrano. 866.446.7803. hauntedoc.com.

(Cont. on page 26)

The Veterans Day Ceremony is an annual San Juan Capistrano tradition at Veterans Park and will happen, as usual, this Friday. Photo: Collin Breaux

CREER FUNDRAISER CONCERT

6-10 p.m. Enjoy the sounds of musician Slim Man, along with a buffet, during this benefit event. Funds raised will go to CREER Comunidad y Familia, a San Juan Capistrano-based nonprofit that holds afterschool tutoring sessions and food giveaways for underprivileged members of the community. Tickets are $75. San Juan Capistrano Community Center, 25925 Camino Del Avion, San Juan Capistrano. eventbrite.com.

WEDNESDAY | 23

TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE BREWHOUSE 6:30-8:30 p.m. The BrewHouse hosts a triv ia night every Wednesday. The BrewHouse, 31896 Plaza Drive, Suite D3, San Juan Cap istrano. 949.481.6181. brewhousesjc.com.

AT THE MOVIES

‘Armageddon Time’ Almost Reaches the Top

BY MEGAN BIANCO, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

Presently, James Gray’s new family drama, Armageddon Time, is out two weeks before Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans. Both are about a Jewish child growing up in mid-20th century America, and they are also loosely based on the directors’ own childhoods.

It figures Gray’s picture is one of this year’s “twin films.” While Gray’s artistic success is modest compared to the powerhouse of Spielberg’s legacy, I don’t think anyone would confuse either of these films aesthetically, fortunately for Gray and his team.

In 1980 Queens, New York, 12-yearold Paul Graff (Banks Repeta) is forced to leave his public school for his older brother Ted’s (Ryan Sell) private school

after Paul is caught smoking a joint in the bathroom with Johnny (Jaylin Webb), one of the few Black students on campus.

Paul’s parents, Esther (Anne Hathaway) and Irving (Jeremy Strong), think Paul has all the opportunities and potential for a proper education that can lead to a business career, while Paul’s grandfather, Aaron (Anthony Hopkins), thinks he should follow his passion for art.

The first misstep for Armageddon Time is the title sounding way too much like a sci-fi adventure. The namesake makes

more sense when we view the film and see early on Paul’s family watching a TV interview with then-President Ronald Reagan, who uses the word “Armageddon” during a comment. But on its own, the title is completely misleading to someone going into the feature blind.

But the real issue here is that by releasing Armageddon Time so near to The Fabelmans, it’s a little too obvious how, in the shadows, Gray’s career is compared to his peers and idols. I don’t think his movies are bad on any level, yet nothing about his style or stories stands out cinematically or singularly.

I doubt The Fabelmans will have some of the darker aspects of Armageddon Time, and I’m guessing the former will have a longer-lasting impact on me, since Spielberg is already one of my favorite filmmakers and has a foolproof track record.

I would still recommend Armageddon Time for the cast, and if you’re in the mood for a period drama, as there are ultimately talented people involved who usually deliver. But as a whole, I don’t think Armageddon Time will leave a big impression on me, unfortunately. CD

Photo: Courtesy of Anne Joyce / Focus Features

by Jan Siegel

Principal for the Day

t has been more than 25 years since I had a child or grandchild in elementary school. Since the pandemic, schools have been having a hard time, and there has not been much positive information coming out about class instruction. The Capistrano Unified School District is one of the largest districts in the country, but I wondered how they were adjusting to all the political backlash that permeates the news cycle and social media.

A couple of month ago, Gila Jones, a CUSD trustee who represents most of San Juan Capistrano, made a statement at Coffee Chat that intrigued me.

She said that “the district goal, in grades K-3 students, are that they are learning to read. In grades 4-12, they are reading to learn.”

If a student is not proficient or at grade level in reading by grade 4, they are lost. What a great concept! In further research, I found that concept was a national education directive from the Center for Public Education. The key is K-3 learning.

The basis for the program is not only reading, but comprehension, by teaching students how to use pictures, syntax and meaning to solve word problems.

“The draw-a-picture, problem-solving technique is one of the most effective ways children can gain comprehension of complex text,” educational resources

have said.

School rooms no longer look like they did when we or our children went to school. There are no rows of desks. There is no blackboard. There is a computer screen with the teacher using a PowerPoint program. She faces the students. Now, there are clusters of two to four desks grouped together. The purpose is that the student learns best when having a partner nearby to discuss reading or math concepts. If a student can explain what they understand to another student, then they are learning. There may be different approaches to the same problem. Every child has their own computer.

Once a year, the school district has a “Principal for the Day” event. Each school in the district has a community member acting as principal for the day.

It really involves going around the school with the current principal.

ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK

Bella

MOMENTS IN TIME

BY JAN SIEGEL

This year, Gila Jones asked me to participate. I was assigned to Palisades Elementary School. It was an incredible experience. I visited most of the classrooms and saw firsthand how this concept of learning to read and reading to learn happens at each grade level. Palisades has many different programs going on at the same time.

One is the multi-tiered system of support. This is a tiered intervention program to support every student by name and by need. In K-3, 80% of the students do not need extra help, but 20% do, and, to facilitate them, they are grouped. For 30 minutes, three times a week, they meet with a special teacher who reinforces their needs. The other children are also grouped as to their needs, and the grade teachers work with these students in clusters. Because of the technology, it is easy to track each student’s learning challenges and improvements.

Other programs in the school are the

GATE program, which is tested in third grade. There is also a structured autism program that facilitates the needs of autistic students. The ratio of teacher to student is two students for each teacher. The rooms for these students have areas for their special needs, quiet areas, a trampoline to let off excess energy, enclosed working areas, etc. The students have iPads that allow them to point to pictures for what they want or need, if they are not verbal. However, the teacher does encourage them to say the words that they are pointing to for information. These students also have a robotics room that allows them to work out in a confined, quiet atmosphere. In math, the curriculum is based on cognitive guided instruction, which encourages critical thinking. And again, the students work together. The teacher is not the one doing all the talking and the students listening. The teacher is now the facilitator, and the students are driving the instruction. Critical thinking is the key. Palisades is also a STEAM school, which includes learning in science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

The students all seemed energetic, happy and eager, and no one was wearing a mask. It definitely opened my eyes to what is happening in the classroom in the Capistrano Unified School District. Innovation is taking place at every level. Spend a “Moment in Time” and visit a local school and see for yourself how teaching and learning have changed in the last generation. We hear too much negativity these days and not enough positive reinforcement for our children, for our schools or our teachers.

Jan Siegel was a 33-year resident of San Juan Capistrano and now resides in the neighboring town of Rancho Mission Viejo. She served on the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission for 13 years, has been a volunteer guide for the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library’s architectural walking tour for 26 years and is currently the museum curator for the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society. She was named Woman of the Year by the Chamber of

FROM THE ARCHIVES

This photo depicts San Juan Capistrano farmers Shig and Miyeko Kinoshita in the 1990s. The Kinoshita family is the namesake for the Kinoshita Farm, where The Ecology Center is now located.

Every issue, The Capistrano Dispatch will publish a historical photo. To submit your historical photo for consideration, provide information about the photo along with your name, date, location and a small description to cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com.

Commerce in 2005, Volunteer of the Year in 2011 and was inducted into the city’s Wall of Recognition in 2007. CD

THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

Eight-year-old Bella is a mild-mannered kitty who is looking for a new beginning. Abandoned by her previous owner, Bella can be a bit shy on first meeting, but she is quite affectionate and sweet once she gets to know you. She would do best in a quiet household where she can settle in and finally start to feel at home again.

If you are interested in adopting Bella, please visit petprojectfoundation.org to download an adoption application form. Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org, and you will be contacted about making an interaction appointment. CD

Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

SOLUTION:

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9.

Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium

Photo: Courtesy of Carmen Northen

Call Debra Wells at 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or debra@wellsadsolutions.com

Call

Call Debra Wells at 949.388.7700, ext. 104 or debra@wellsadsolutions.com

Open Door

JSerra boys water polo advances to program’s first CIF-SS Open Division title game

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

JSerra boys water polo took its penultimate step to the top of the Southern California water polo mountain on Wednesday, Nov. 9, setting up a battle with one of the sport’s royalty programs for the Open Division crown.

Top-seeded JSerra surged back in the second and third quarters to topple Trinity League rival Mater Dei, 12-8, in the CIF-SS Open Division semifinals at Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine and send the Lions to their third CIF-SS championship game appearance.

“I’m proud of the progress we’ve had,

but these boys have had a goal in mind,” JSerra coach Brett Ormsby said. “As they said right as the game was finishing, ‘Job’s not done.’ Got ourselves a couple more days of practice and one more game, which is awesome, because I love this group of guys.”

JSerra (27-2) will seek its second CIF-SS title and first Open Division championship against No. 2 seed Newport Harbor (28-2) on Saturday, Nov. 12, back at the

Woollett Aquatics Center. Newport Harbor, the reigning Open Division champion, has won 13 CIF-SS titles and will play in its 26th championship game. JSerra won the Division 4 title in 2019.

This will be the third meeting of the season between the Lions and Sailors, with the teams splitting the pair of tournament matchups. Ormsby said the two sides “bring out the best in each other.”

JSerra earned the top seed in the

SAN JUAN FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH AND ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

JSerra Football

Completes

Comeback over Santa Margarita in Emotional Playoff Opener

After head coach Scott McKnight took a hard hit on the field during warmups and was taken to the hospital on Nov. 4, getting revenge on Santa Margarita was likely the last thing on the minds of JSerra players.

However, the Lions achieved just that, erasing a 15-point halftime deficit and holding off the Eagles at the goal line to secure a 27-20 victory to open its CIF-SS Di vision 1 playoff run at Saddleback College.

Before Santa Margarita’s final drive that reached the Lions’ 4-yard line, the JSerra defense allowed only 25 yards on

13 second-half plays.

JSerra (6-5) will face Trinity League champion and national No. 1 Mater Dei (10-0) in the Division 1 quarterfinals this Friday. The Monarchs, who have already been tested by the Lions in a 20-14 regular-season matchup at JSerra, will host the Lions at the Santa Ana Bowl.

JSerra offensive line coach Pat Harlow, who was the head coach of the Lions for four seasons from 2017 to 2020, was the acting head coach on Nov. 4. Later that night on McKnight’s Instagram, the head coach’s daughter said McKnight “suffered a severe concussion and has stitches.” On Monday, Nov. 7, McKnight told the Orange County Register that he was “probable”

for the second round.

Against Santa Margarita, the game truly was a tale of two halves, as JSerra trailed, 20-5, at halftime.

In the second half, JSerra gained 208 yards on offense and earned 12 first downs to Santa Margarita’s four, with a 27-yard scoop-and-score from Clarence Chaney to grab the lead in the fourth quarter.

Chaney’s touchdown put the Lions in front for the first time all game, and it was all JSerra needed with about eight minutes remaining in the game to hold on for the win.

Read the full story on the Lions’ defensive turnaround and comeback at thecapistranodispatch.com.

Open Division by claiming its first ever Trinity League championship this season. The Lions opened the playoffs with a thorough 13-5 dismantling of Los Alamitos on Nov. 3.

On Wednesday, Mater Dei got an early jump on JSerra with a 2-1 lead after the first quarter, but the Lions pushed back with force to claim their third win over the Monarchs this season.

Bode Brinkema’s second tally of the game tied the score, 2-2, in the second quarter and kicked off a string of five con secutive JSerra goals stretching into the second half. Ryan Dodd and Brinkema scored on back-to-back rushes, then Will Schneider in the middle and Drew Van grin on a 6-on-5 scored for JSerra to build a four-goal advantage, while the Lions’ press defense held down the Monarchs.

Mater Dei netted two more scores in the third quarter before another four unanswered from JSerra put the Lions into cruise control, 11-5, entering the fourth quarter. Maddox Arlett, Dodd on a 5-meter penalty, Schneider and Dodd again claimed the JSerra goals in the four-goal surge. Arlett added a second goal in the fourth quarter to bring home the victory, 12-8.

Brinkema, Dodd and Schneider each scored three goals. Jack Helfer racked up eight saves in the cage. CD

San Juan Hills, St. Margaret’s Football Advance

The San Juan Hills football team posted its first shutout of the season, as the top-seeded Stallions dispatched Palm Desert, 35-0, in the first round of Division 6. Ryan Haghani and Andrew Easton pulled in interceptions for the Stallions, and Jake Javorsky and Dylan Wersching each racked up 10 tackles. Colton Chase caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown and ran the ball three times for 80 yards and a touchdown. Michael “Butter” Tollefson completed 13 of 24 passes for 201 yards and three scores.

San Juan Hills next hosts Orange in the quarterfinals this Friday. Look for coverage of this game on the South OC Sports social media channels and at thecapistranodispatch.com.

St. Margaret’s got a school record-tying seven touchdown passes from Max Ruff to score an upset over No. 4 seed Segerstrom, 55-27, in the first round of Division 11. Ruff completed 26 of 35 passes for 398 yards and tied the record set by his brother, Jack Ruff, in 2021.

Derek Smith caught eight passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns, and Sam Dunnell caught seven passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns, also reeling in an interception on defense.

The Tartans next host South Pasadena in the quarterfinals this Friday. CD

JSerra boys water polo is the No. 1 seed in the CIF-SS Open Division and advanced to title game with wins over Los Alamitos, 13-5, and Mater Dei, 12-8. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

JSerra football lost its head coach during warmups ahead of their first-round playoff game, but the Lions’ de fense pulled off a stunning 15-point, second-half comeback to advance. Photo: Zach Cavanagh